Search All of the Math Forum:
Views expressed in these public forums are not endorsed by
Drexel University or The Math Forum.
|
|
Ed Wall
Posts:
36
Registered:
12/3/04
|
|
Re: Flow Proofs again
Posted:
May 8, 1996 12:46 AM
|
|
>Ed Wall wrote:
>
>> Did the same experiment. Two column proofs were prefered.
>
>Student preferences are often conditioned to follow the path of least
>resistance, which is often the path of least learning.
>
>--Lou Talman
Thanks for this comment. I happen to agree up to a point. However, the comments
I received were of the order that the two column proof seemed a bit more
structured and, consequently (this is a opinion), a bit clearer.
The reason I have been trying flow proofs is because I felt they might be
somewhat less threating (whatever that means :-)) than two column proofs and
because they seem to lead more naturally to the type of proofs that might be
written latter. I must to admit to having a bias: I don't use two column
proofs. But perhaps that is a matter of style. In fact, in many of the areas
that I do 'proofs' I tend to use a flow type approach which finally envolves
into the paragrah form.
Do students learn less with the two column proof method? I really don't know.
I feel that any effort made trying to get students to express their insight
into a problem is quite worth while. On the other hand, they do need the
experience of following and producing a logical argument. So perhaps flow
proofs and two column proofs are complementary.
In any case, my response was to the preferences of students as I had somehow
gained the impression that two column proofs were difficult and archaic and
most students preferred something 'easy' and 'less challenging' like flow
proofs :-).
Ed Wall
|
|
|
|
